Goal machine was Just superb

Fontaine (second left) in 1998 with Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Charlton and Zoff

Just Fontaine has had 44 years in which to bask in the glory of a World Cup record that is unlikely to ever be broken.

The Frenchman's incredible haul of 13 goals at the 1958 finals in Sweden remains easily the best by any player in a single tournament.

Fontaine scored in all six games as a team which had not won all year surprised everyone by claiming third place in the finals behind Brazil and the hosts.

My mind was not on the record - I turned down the chance to take a penalty in the third-place game

Just Fontaine

He scored four in the third place play-off against West Germany.

The achievement was all the more remarkable because the striker had been lucky just to make the France side.

Born in Marrakesh in Morocco in 1933, he made his international debut against Hungary in 1956.

But, when France secured the release of the brilliant Raymond Kopa from Real Madrid, Fontaine was expecting a place among the reserves at best.

However, an ankle injury to Rene Bliard gave Fontaine his chance his prolific partnership with Kopa swept France to the semi-finals.

Pressure

Fontaine hit a hat-trick in the 7-3 thrashing of Paraguay and added another five in games against Yugoslavia, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Another followed in the 5-2 semi-final defeat by Brazil.

"In those days there was not so much pressure on us, Fontaine recalled recently.

"Only two journalists followed the team around.

"Our team bosses were so convinced we would be knocked out that they only gave us three shirts each, so we were totally free from pressure.

"My mind was not on the goals record at all. I even turned down the chance to take a penalty in the third-place game!"

Fontaine's goal bonanza

Hat-trick in 7-3 win v Paraguay

Two in 3-2 loss v Yugoslavia

One in 2-1 win v Scotland

Two in 4-0 win v N Ireland

One in 5-2 semi-final defeat v Brazil

Four in 6-3 third place win v W Germany

Fontaine won the French league title with Nice in 1956 before joining the great Reims side.

His goals helped Reims claim the title in 1958 and 1960 and he twice finished as the league's top scorer.

He picked up a European Cup runners-up medal in 1959 but was forced into early retirement after breaking his leg in two places during a league game a year later.

Last year Fontaine was named the fifth-best French player of all time by France Football magazine, behind Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Kopa and Laurent Blanc.

"I have to be satisfied with that," he said.

"Fifth is great, especially as I was forced to retire when I was 26 - right at the moment when I was due to go and play abroad.

"You never know, I could have done the same thing as Platini. His career really took off when he signed for Juventus."

Fontaine signed off with a tally of 30 goals in just 21 games for France and an overall total of 200 in 213 games.

He went on to pick up a less coveted record in 1967, the shortest reign in charge of the French national side - two games between March 22 and June 3.

Top Scorers

1998: D Suker (Croatia, 6)

1994: H Stoichkov/O Salenko (Bulgaria/Russia, 6)

1990: T Schillaci (Italy, 6)

1986: G Lineker (England, 6)

1982: P Rossi (Italy, 6)

1978: M Kempes (Argentina, 6)

1974: G Lato (Poland, 7)

1970: G Muller (W Germany, 10)

1966: Eusebio (Portugal, 9)

1962: F Albert/L Sanchez/V Ivanov/D Jerkovic/Vava/Garrincha (Hungary/Chile/USSR/Yugoslavia/Both Brazil, 4)

1958: J Fontaine (France, 13)

1954: S Kocsis (Hungary, 11)

1950: Ademir (Brazil, 7)

1938: Leodinas (Brazil, 8)

1934: O Nejedly (Czechoslovakia, 5)

1930: G Stabile (Argentina, 8)

He also had a spell in charge of Paris St Germain and then Morocco in the 1980s and supported their unsuccessful bid to host the tournament in 2006.

Only Gerd Muller of West Germany has scored more goals than Fontaine in World Cup finals, with 10 in 1970 and four in 1974.

Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta, with nine, is the leading scorer still playing.

However, Fontaine believes his achievement is unlikely to be bettered.

"There wasn't a Golden Boot award or anything like that in 1958, so no one thought about it," he said.

"That probably gave me an advantage.

"Nowadays, as soon as a striker scores three goals, everyone starts asking him about it.

"As soon as he thinks about the record, he's finished. The secret is to put it out of your mind.

"Besides, teams are less attacking now.

"To beat my record, a side would really have to go for it, or a player would need to go on a goal spree in the group matches.

"Because the group games are like a mini-tournament, teams tend to be very calculating, so it becomes very difficult."